Anderson Twins - Saxophones, Clarinets, Flute
Peter and William Anderson started playing clarinet on the same day in elementary school, and within a year, both added the saxophone to their studies. One evening that year, after hearing a live big-band jazz concert, they ran into their kitchen and yelled, "Mom, we know what we want to do for the rest of our lives!" Inevitably, they immediately fell in love with great jazz musicians including Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Sidney Bechet, and at only 13 years of age, Peter and William toured the United Kingdom with the Capitol Focus Jazz Band, performing classic jazz of Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong.
Since then, after receiving their Bachelor's & Master's degrees from Juilliard, Peter and William have performed together at top venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Village Vanguard, the David Koch Theater, London’s 100 Club, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and in Scotland, Japan, and Costa Rica. Leading their own quintet, they have performed at such venues as NY's Dizzy's Coca-Cola Club, Smalls Jazz Club, The Iridium, DC's Blues Alley as well as internationally. Will and Peter often play with the The Village Vanguard Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Vince Giordano's Nighthawks. In 2011, the Anderson Twins were guest speakers and performers at the Jacob Burns Film Center, were the featured reedmen in the Buckhill-Skytop Music Festival's Production of "Carmen," and led performances at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Atrium, the ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem, PA, and at Jack Kleinsinger's legendary Highlights in Jazz Series. Most recently, the Andersons debuted their own "Anderson Twins Big Band" at Manhattan's Symphony Space, offering their interpretations of the music of Quincy Jones.
Back in May 2010, Peter & William co-produced and directed a two-week long off-Broadway musical tribute to clarinetist Artie Shaw's Centennial at Manhattan's famous 59e59 theaters. The successful run received several rave reviews: The New York Times called the Andersons "virtuosos on both clarinet and saxophone," and Blogspot.com proclaimed, "You will not hear anything better musically on a New York stage this month." Jazz clarinet great Sol Yaged and trumpeter Joe Wilder performed with the band. Jazz inside magazine describes a show of Anderson Twins as "exhilarating... the audience response reflected that energy." Upon completing this run of fourteen shows, the "Anderson Twins Sextet" was born. Their sextet has given feature performances at Stonybrook University's annual clarinet seminar "Clarinetopia," the annual Buffet/Vandoren "Clarinet Fest" at Michigan State University, and several swing dances and private clubs in New York City, performing innovative original arrangements. Peter and William currently perform at the 59e59 Theater's E:BAR every Thursday night from 10pm until 12am.
Peter Anderson - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Saxophonist and clarinetist Peter Anderson is a native of Bethesda, Maryland. From age 9, he was trained in a variety of musical styles, including classical, New Orleans dixieland, and contemporary jazz. While in high school, he was an NFAA Jazz Fellow, resident at Jazz Aspen Sessions, Dave Brubeck Colony, and a Downbeat Magazine outstanding soloist. He received his Bachelor and Master's degrees in jazz from Juilliard. Peter is now an avid performer, composer and teacher in New York City.
He has played with the Jimmy Heath Big Band, Arturo O’Farrill Big Band, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Village Vanguard Orchestra, at Blue Note, Birdland, Carnegie Hall, and in the U.K., Japan, and Middle East. In 2008, Peter participated in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program at the Kennedy Center in D.C., and Ravinia Jazz Residency in Chicago, performing his original compositions. From 2006-2011 he was a Maxwell Gluck fellow, performing/speaking at nursing homes, hospitals, and children's facilities, 15 venues annually. Peter teaches privately and at numerous workshops including Maryland's Jazz Acadedmy, Atlanta summer jazz, Snow College Utah, and Las Vegas Academy.
Peter co-leads the Anderson Twins Group with his brother, Will, a versitle ensemble playing everything from swing dances to jazz festivals. They've performed at Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Iridium, Smalls, D.C.’s Blues Alley and Twins Jazz Club. They've given feature performances and lectures in N.Y.C. at the University Club, Colony Club, Irish Historical Society, and Empire State Building. In 2010, they led a 2-week Off-Broadway production at 59E59 theaters celebrating Artie Shaw's centennial, garnering a NY Times review, "Pete and Will Anderson are virtuoso's on both clarinet and saxophone." In October 2011, they produced the Anderson Twins Big Band at Symphony Space, celebrating the music of Quincy Jones, who gave them his best wishes and thanks via phone call.
Will R. Anderson - Saxophones, Clarinet, Flute
A native of Bethesda, MD, Will Anderson has been playing clarinet and saxophone since the age of 9. During high school, Mr. Anderson performed and recorded with a Metropolitan area jazz band, specializing mainly in the music of Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, and Jelly Roll Morton. At the age of 14, he toured with the band throughout the United Kingdom playing at festivals and clubs. In 2005, the band attended the Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Academy, and was selected to play at the North Sea Jazz Festival.
While earning his Bachelor's and Master's Degree at the Juilliard School’s Jazz Studies program, Mr. Anderson studied with many artists including Loren Schoenberg, David Berger, Frank Wess, Benny Golson, Joe Wilder, Hank Jones, and Kenny Washington. He studied saxophone privately Joe Temperley and Ron Blake, clarinet with Alan Kay and Victor Goines, and flute with Mark Vinci and Barli Nugent. During his time at Juilliard, Will was awarded the Concert and Instrumental Music Teaching Fellowships as well as the Gluck Community Service Fellowship for four consecutive years. The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra housed Mr. Anderson as its lead alto saxophonist, performing several of his original compositions and arrangements. With the JJO, Will traveled to Japan, Costa Rica, Qatar, and all over the U.S. performing for mass audiences, as well as facilitating jazz clinics to inspire young and underprivileged musicians. From 2009-11, Will served on the faculty of Juilliard's "Music Advancement Program," teaching private music lessons, ensembles, and theory classes to aspiring students.
In May 2010, Will co-led a two-week long tribute to Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman at the famous 59e59 Theaters in Manhattan. The successful run received several rave reviews. The New York Times called Mr. Anderson a "virtuoso on both clarinet and saxophone". Blogspot.com proclaimed, "You will not hear anything better musically on a New York stage this month."
Recently in 2009, Will was selected for the "Betty Carter Jazz Ahead" and the "Young Artists Ravinia" jazz residencies, which culminated with multiple performances of his original compositions at the Kennedy Center and the Ravinia Jazz Festival. In 2006, Will won second place in the Fish-Middleton Scholarship Competition at the East Coast Jazz Festival, and received an outstanding jazz soloist award from Downbeat magazine. He is a two-time Honorable Mention recipient from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (NFAA) talent search. Will co-leads the "Anderson Twins Quintet" with his brother Peter. This group has performed at many venues including Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, the Iridium, Smalls, and D.C.'s Blues Alley. Will has recently appeared with the the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, David Berger's "Sultan's of Swing", the Jimmy Heath Big Band, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, the Teddy Charles Tentet, the Chris Byars Octet, and lead alto with The Loren Schoenberg Big Band.
On clarinet, Will has been a featured soloist with the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra and the Stan Rubin Orchestra playing the music of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, and others. In the classical field, Will has performed with the Juilliard Symphony Orchestra, the New Juilliard Ensemble, and the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony. At Juilliard, Will has performed clarinet solo works by Debussy, Mozart, Weber, Brahms, Copeland, C.P.E. Bach, and Joseph Horovitz. His clarinet teachers have included Laura Flax, Alan Kay, and David Jones.